Helena Blavatsky

[sqprx]

What do you guys think of Helena Blavatsky the famous theosophist? Is anybody familiar with her work? "The Secret Doctrine" nad "Isis Unveiled" in particular? Is it any good, worth reading and related to AP ?

[Contenteo]

Astral projection relates to anything having to do with a boundary experience.

One of the key rules of the astral:

Intents can instantly manifest.

Gave our ancestors a pretty big headache. With scarce resources, a world in which your every will is granted can sure give you a feeling of divine right.
This, alongside different cultural surroundings makes up our religious environment right now. Many people trying to describe that same thing in ways that make sense to their culture. You'll analogies in everything if you let them come to you. Most assuredly, probably these books.

Cheers,
Contenteo

[todd421757]

Isis Unveiled has some very good information in it but it is very hard to decipher. I did not like reading the Secret Doctrine.

[desert-rat]

I believe she was friends with Alister Cowley , booth perty wild people .   Cowley may of written a little on the astral , but his thing was more summing up demons , sex and drugs .  From the little I know of miss. Blavatsky her thing was calling up ghosts, and leaving strange notes.   desert rat 

[Rudolph]

Is it any good, worth reading and related to AP ?

I tried reading it about 15 years ago. I still have it on the shelf and I picked it up again about a year ago and just could not get interested in much of anything she was saying. If I were in a Rosicrucian type study group I might stick with it but otherwise, it is dull and nearly useless.
Especially in the AP arena... very little of value.

[sqprx]

Yeah, thumbed through "Secret Doctrine" today, read about 30 pages and didn't understand a thing, the language is archaic and most of the concepts she's speaking of I have no idea what's their meaning. Read it in Russian though. Definitely not for beginners....

[desert-rat]

I dont know if she was for real , or just making a few bucks duping people and writing books . desert rat 

[todd421757]

Here is a one page summary of the book "Isis Unveiled":

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/metaphys/meta3.htm

This is the book that started it all. Without this book, who knows where we would be at in regards to projections and out of body experiences. There is some information in this book that is contained nowhere else (even today). Unfortunately there is a lot of useless information in the book too. If only someone could write a condensed version someday which only contained the good stuff from the book.

Here are the three best quotes from the book:

1) Mediumship is the opposite of adeptship; the medium is the passive instrument of foreign influences, the adept actively controls himself and all inferior potencies.

2) One phase of magical skill is the voluntary and conscious withdrawal of the inner man (astral form) from the outer man (physical body). In the cases of some mediums withdrawal occurs, but it is unconscious and involuntary. With the latter the body is more or less cataleptic at such times; but with the adept the absence of the astral form would not be noticed, for the physical senses are alert, and the individual appears only as though in a fit of abstraction -- 'a brown study', as some call it.

3) As God creates, so man can create. Given a certain intensity of will, and the shapes created by the mind become subjective. Hallucinations they are called, although to their creator they are real as any visible object is to any one else. Given a more intense and intelligent concentration of this will, and the forms become concrete, visible, objective; the man has learned the secret of secrets; he is a Magician.

She goes on to say adepts are full of health and mediums usually are weak and diseased. I have learned so much from this. I constantly strive to become an adept in OBE's. To do this you cannot be passive with your consciousness in projections. I have experienced much greater vitality and health since I started to use my active will in my projection methods. This is the greatest thing I have ever learned about OBE's. And I got it from Blavatsky's "Isis Unveiled" book.

[Volgerle]

As regards Theosophy, I like the summary given by Kurt Leland. He seems to base it more on the lesser known A. Besant's work than on Blavatsky's though. His own experiences seem (for him) to validate the main points (about bodies and planes) held in these teachings.

http://www.kurtleland.com/astral-projection-log/orientation/133-overview-of-planes-and-bodies

Of course, the map is not the landscape itself and it is just one way to view non-physical reality.

Generally, I think one should not broadly dismiss the work of Theosophy as 'outdated'. Even if one does, one can still ackknowledge the historic value of introducing these concepts into the Western world more broadly at a time where none such information was available or even suppressed for certain reasons.

[Stookie_]

I'm pretty sure Blavatsky was real-deal, though possibly heavily influenced from outside sources... maybe pressured down a certain path. (personal speculation).

I think theosophical information can be very valuable. Rudolf Steiner has been a huge source of info for me, although he had broken away from the theosophical society to create Anthroposophy believing he was incorporating ideas that theosophists either ignored or misunderstood. But really, it doesn't hurt to study everything and draw your own comparisons.

[rain_88]

Isis Unveiled has some very good information in it but it is very hard to decipher. I did not like reading the Secret Doctrine.

Yeah, I think that is something hard to digest :S.....

[CFTraveler]

I read Isis unveiled, and found it so boring it put me to sleep, plus it didn't tell me anything new.  I wanted to read the Secret Doctrine, but IU's style put me off.  If anyone wants to write the synopsis I'd appreciate it.

[Volgerle]

I read Isis unveiled, and found it so boring it put me to sleep, plus it didn't tell me anything new.  I wanted to read the Secret Doctrine, but IU's style put me off.  If anyone wants to write the synopsis I'd appreciate it.

I can't as I haven't read it. But I have a recommendation: http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/key/key-hp.htm
The "Key To Theosophy" is indeed a book written by Blavatsky, and it is meant to be an introduction to Theosophy for 'newbies'. Like all of her books it's available online for free. It's the one I read to get an overview. Not that it's too thrilling, but it is 'light' stuff and it might be worth a try for s.o. who wants to know what the deal is.

[Stookie_]

Another good one for theosophical newbs is Steiner's "Outline of Occult Science", which is like 600 pages, but has all the foundations of theosophy in it. It's sections are broken up nicely. I've found it good for reference.

[CFTraveler]

I can't as I haven't read it. But I have a recommendation: http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/key/key-hp.htm
The "Key To Theosophy" is indeed a book written by Blavatsky, and it is meant to be an introduction to Theosophy for 'newbies'. Like all of her books it's available online for free. It's the one I read to get an overview. Not that it's too thrilling, but it is 'light' stuff and it might be worth a try for s.o. who wants to know what the deal is.

Thank you I have bookmarked it.